A severe thunderstorm warning has been issued for parts of Texas and Oklahoma as damaging winds and large hail threaten the region
Severe storms and heavy rain return to the Plains on Tuesday with a focus on Oklahoma and parts of North Texas.
A front is moving over the region, leading to the ignition of thunderclouds within the forecast area.
A severe thunderstorm warning has been issued for parts of Oklahoma and Texas until 11 PM CST on Tuesday.
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Rain fell Tuesday morning in western Oklahoma and Kansas.
With adequate heating during the day, storms flared again Tuesday afternoon.
Storm coverage and intensity will gradually increase as storms move toward the I-35 corridor. The evening commute for millions from Wichita, Kansas, to Wichita Falls, Texas, could be disrupted. Very large hail and damaging winds will be the main threats.
“The downside to this hail is that it will fly at you anywhere from 40 mph to upwards of 80 mph,” FOX Weather meteorologist Jason Fraser said. “This means that anything you have outside, you will need to be alert for.”
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Any severe storms on Tuesday carry the potential for some tornadoes as well. It’s a low 1 out of 5 threat on NOAA’s severe weather risk scale, but Oklahoma City is right in the middle.
“You’re used to responding to tornado warnings, but sometimes it’s the beginning of the season — and this is really the beginning of the severe weather season in the fall — you kind of go out of training, and you’re not used to listening to what that possibility is,” Merwin said. “So you need to make sure you know that today is a severe weather day.”
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Heavy rain will also likely cause some flash flooding. Overall, 1 to 2 inches of rain is likely, with up to 3 inches arriving in some locations.
Central Oklahoma is largely drought-free, but drought conditions exist along the state’s borders with Kansas and Texas. Rain is needed farther north, closer to Wichita or south toward Wichita Falls.
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The storms are just the first shot in what looks to be a fairly windy week in the Plains, with varying levels of severe weather threats each day for the first part of the weekend.
Original article source: A severe thunderstorm warning has been issued for parts of Texas and Oklahoma as damaging winds and large hail threaten the region
